19972 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 71 / Tuesday, April 14, 2015 / Notices 

231(a)(1) of HAVA (42 U.S.C. 15371) 

specifically requires the EAC to ‘‘. . . 

provide for the testing, certification, 

decertification and recertification of 

voting system hardware and software by 

accredited laboratories.’’ To meet this 

obligation, the EAC has created a 

voluntary program to test voting systems 

to Federal voting system standards. The 

Voting System Test Laboratory Program 

Manual, published below, will set the 

procedures for laboratories in this 

program. 

EAC is required to submit the Testing 

and Certification Manual for approval in 

accordance with Paperwork Reduction 

Act of 1995 requirements. The Testing 

and Certification Division has updated 

sections of the manual to reflect 

proposed changes in certification 

procedures. 

Comments 

This notice is published in 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, to request 

comments regarding the burden of 

responding to the information collection 

activities of the proposed manual; 

please refer to the EAC’s Web site, 

www.eac.gov, for further information 

about the submission of comments 

regarding burden. 

DATES: Submit written or electronic 

comments on this draft procedural 

manual on or before 5:00 p.m. EDT on 

May 14, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments via email 

to VotingSystemGuidelines@eac.gov; via 

mail to Jessica Myers, Certification 

Program Specialist, U.S. Election 

Assistance Commission, 1335 East West 

Highway, Suite 4300, Silver Spring, MD 

20910; or via fax to 202–566–1392. An 

electronic copy of the proposed manual 

may be found on the EAC’s Web site 

http://www.eac.gov/open/

comment.aspx. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Brian Hancock, Director, Voting System 

Certification, Washington, DC, (202) 

566–3100, Fax: (202) 566–1392. 

Bryan Whitener, 

Director of Communications and 

Clearinghouse, U.S. Election Assistance 

Commission. 

[FR Doc. 2015–08567 Filed 4–13–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6820–KF–P 

ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION 

Procedural Manual for the Election 

Assistance Commission’s Voting 

System Testing and Certification 

Program, Version 2.0 

AGENCY: United States Election 

Assistance Commission (EAC). 

ACTION: Notice; publication of Voting 

System Testing and Certification 

Manual, Version 2.0, for 30 day public 

comment period on EAC Web site. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Election Assistance 

Commission (EAC) is publishing a 

procedural manual for its Voting System 

Testing and Certification Program. This 

manual sets the administrative 

procedures for obtaining an EAC 

Certification for voting systems. 

Participation in the program is strictly 

voluntary. The program is mandated by 

the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) at 

42 U.S.C. 15371. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background. HAVA requires that the 

EAC certify and decertify voting 

systems. Section 231(a)(1) of HAVA (42 

U.S.C. 15371) specifically requires the 

EAC to ‘‘. . . provide for the testing, 

certification, decertification and 

recertification of voting system 

hardware and software by accredited 

laboratories.’’ To meet this obligation, 

the EAC has created a voluntary 

program to test voting systems to 

Federal voting system standards. The 

Voting System Testing and Certification 

Manual, published below, will set the 

procedures for this program. 

EAC is required to submit the Testing 

and Certification Manual for approval in 

accordance with Paperwork Reduction 

Act of 1995 requirements. The Testing 

and Certification Division has updated 

sections of the manual to reflect 

proposed changes in certification 

procedures. 

Comments. This notice is published 

in accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, to request 

comments regarding the burden of 

responding to the information collection 

activities of the proposed manual; 

please refer to the EAC’s Web site, 

www.eac.gov, for further information 

about the submission of comments 

regarding burden. 

DATES: Submit written or electronic 

comments on this draft procedural 

manual on or before 5:00 p.m. EDT on 

May 14, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments via email 

to VotingSystemGuidelines@eac.gov; via 

mail to Jessica Myers, Certification 

Program Specialist, U.S. Election 

Assistance Commission, 1335 East West 

Highway, Suite 4300, Silver Spring, MD, 

20910; or via fax to 202–566–1392. An 

electronic copy of the proposed manual 

may be found on the EAC’s Web site 

http://www.eac.gov/open/

comment.aspx. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Brian Hancock, Director, Voting System 

Certification, Washington, DC, (202) 

566–3100, Fax: (202) 566–1392. 

Bryan Whitener, 

Director of Communications and 

Clearinghouse, U.S. Election Assistance 

Commission. 

[FR Doc. 2015–08534 Filed 4–13–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6820–KF–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy 

[Docket No. EERE–2015–BT–BC–0002] 

DOE Participation in Development of 

the International Energy Conservation 

Code 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Energy (DOE) participates in the public 

process administered by the 

International Code Council (ICC), which 

produces the International Energy 

Conservation Code (IECC). DOE 

develops and publishes code change 

proposals for the IECC, prior to 

submitting them to the ICC, to allow 

interested parties an opportunity to 

suggest revisions, enhancements and 

comments. This notice outlines the 

process by which DOE produces its 

code change proposals for the IECC, and 

otherwise participates in the ICC code 

development process. This process will 

be used when DOE participates in the 

development of the 2018 IECC and other 

codes developed by the ICC. 

DATES: DOE is requesting written 

comments on the proposed process by 

which DOE will develop code change 

proposals for submission to the ICC by 

May 14, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Any comments submitted 

must identify the Notice for DOE 

Participation in Development of the 

International Energy Conservation Code, 

and provide docket number EERE– 

2015–BT–BC–0002. Comments may be 

submitted by using either of the 

following methods: 

1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;

D=EERE-2015-BT-BC-0002. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 71 / Tuesday, April 14, 2015 / Notices 19973 

1See http://www.energycodes.gov/about. 

2See http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/codes/pages/

default.aspx. 3See http://www.energycodes.gov/development. 

2. Email: IECC2015BC0002@

ee.doe.gov. Include EERE–2015–BT– 

BC–0002 in the subject line of the 

message. 

Instructions: All submissions received 

must include the agency name (U.S. 

DOE) and docket number. Additional 

information is included in the following 

sections. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jeremiah Williams; U.S. Department of 

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Building 

Technologies Office, EE–5B, 1000 

Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20585; Telephone: 

(202) 287–1941; Email: 

jeremiah.williams@ee.doe.gov. 

For legal issues: 

Kavita Vaidyanathan; U.S. 

Department of Energy, Office of the 

General Counsel, Forrestal Building, 

GC–33, 1000 Independence Avenue 

SW., Washington, DC 20585; Telephone: 

(202) 586–0669; Email: 

kavita.vaidyanathan@hq.doe.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents 

I. Introduction 

A. Statutory Authority 

B. Background 

II. DOE Participation in the ICC Development 

Process 

A. Technical Analysis 

B. Proposal Development 

C. ICC Public Hearings 

III. Public Participation in the Development 

of DOE Proposals 

A. Stakeholder Input 

B. Ex-Parte Guidance 

I. Introduction 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 

supports the International Energy 

Conservation Code (IECC) by 

participating in the code development 

processes administered by the 

International Code Council (ICC). As a 

participant in this process, DOE 

considers and evaluates concepts to be 

submitted as proposed changes to the 

IECC (‘‘code’’). This Notice outlines the 

process by which DOE produces code 

change proposals and participates in the 

ICC code development process, 

including the 2018 IECC, as well as 

other codes published by the ICC. 

A. Statutory Authority 

Title III of the Energy Conservation 

and Production Act, as amended 

(ECPA), establishes requirements related 

to energy conservation standards for 

new buildings. (42 U.S.C. 6831–6837) 

Section 307 (b) of ECPA directs DOE to 

support voluntary building energy codes 

by periodically reviewing the technical 

and economic basis of the voluntary 

building codes, recommending 

amendments to such codes, seeking 

adoption of all technologically feasible 

and economically justified energy 

efficiency measures, and otherwise 

participate in any industry process for 

review and modification of such codes. 

(42 U.S.C. 6836(b)) 

B. Background 

The DOE Building Energy Codes 

Program mission supports the 

development and implementation of 

model building energy codes and 

standards to achieve the maximum 

practicable and cost-effective 

improvements in energy efficiency, 

while providing safe, healthy buildings 

for occupants.1 Part of this mission is 

directed at the IECC, which serves as a 

model energy code, and is adopted by 

many U.S. states, territories, the District 

of Columbia, and localities across the 

nation. The ICC administers 

development of the IECC through a 

public process, with revisions taking 

place every three years under the ICC 

governmental consensus process. As 

part of this process, any interested party 

can propose changes to the IECC, with 

proposed code changes subject to the 

bylaws, policies and procedures defined 

by the ICC.2

II. DOE Participation in the ICC 

Development Process 

The Department seeks to advance 

energy efficiency by cost-effectively 

strengthening the code and clarifying 

provisions to be more easily understood, 

implemented and enforced. DOE is 

directed to participate in the 

development of model building energy 

codes, such as the IECC, for residential 

and commercial buildings. DOE 

participates in the ICC development 

process by: 

• Conducting technical analyses to 

identify concepts for consideration; 

• Developing and submitting 

proposals based on concepts deemed 

credible and cost-effective; and 

• Supporting proposals through the 

ICC public hearing process. 

A. Technical Analyses 

In preparation for the development of 

code change proposals, DOE conducts 

analyses to ensure that its proposals are 

technologically feasible and 

economically justified. DOE analyses 

will identify anticipated energy and 

economic savings impact associated 

with its energy savings concepts. This 

ensures that DOE proposals are costeffective as defined by established, 

publicly reviewed DOE methodologies.3

Analyses performed by DOE or its 

contractors for the purposes of 

developing code change proposals are 

technical in nature. DOE is not obligated 

to conduct analyses for outside parties, 

but reserves the right to do so where it 

believes they will support DOE statutory 

obligations. In conducting such 

analyses, DOE does not represent or 

endorse particular individuals or 

organizations. DOE also cannot enter 

into joint code change proposals with 

the exception of proposals submitted 

jointly with another federal agency. 

B. Proposal Development and 

Submission 

Satisfactory concepts will be turned 

into draft code change proposals. To 

allow interested parties to comment, 

DOE will post these, along with 

supporting data and analyses, prior to 

submitting them to the ICC. DOE will 

modify its proposals as comments and 

new information become available; 

modified versions, with preceding 

versions of each proposal archived, and 

changes annotated between each version 

will also be posted. Final proposals will 

be clearly identified, and will be posted 

prior to submission to the ICC. All 

posted information will be available at 

http://www.energycodes.gov/

development. 

C. ICC Public Hearings 

DOE maintains organizational 

membership with the ICC. As a 

Governmental Member, DOE intends to 

participate as defined by the guiding 

ICC rules and procedures, including 

participation in the ICC public hearings 

and exercising assigned voting 

privileges. At ICC hearings, DOE: 

• Will present and defend its own 

proposals; and 

• May present the results of technical 

analyses it has conducted, including 

analyses of other parties’ proposals 

when it believes the development 

process will be improved by providing 

such information. 

The presentation of a DOE proposal or 

technical analysis does not constitute an 

endorsement of any particular proposal 

or product. DOE may alter its proposals 

based on the procedural events of the 

official ICC hearing process without 

seeking further public comment. DOE 

may also seek additional public 

comment, such as in cases when a 

particular proposal is significantly 

modified for resubmission, following 

the ICC Committee Action Hearings. 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
19974 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 71 / Tuesday, April 14, 2015 / Notices 

4See http://energy.gov/gc/downloads/guidanceex-parte-communications. 

III. Public Participation in the 

Development of DOE Proposals 

A. Stakeholder Input 

The public will have the following 

opportunities to provide DOE with 

input: 

1. Comments on posted proposals and 

2. Participation in public meetings. 

Public Comment on DOE Proposals: 

DOE intends to make information 

available to the general public as it 

comes available. As information will be 

updated continually throughout the 

process, interested parties are urged to 

closely monitor the DOE Building 

Energy Codes Program Web page and 

stakeholder mailing lists to remain 

current with DOE activities. As 

materials will be posted over an 

extended period of time, the Web site 

will provide additional instructions on 

submitting comments on DOE 

proposals, including associated 

comment deadlines. 

DOE will publish a notice in the 

Federal Register when its draft 

proposals and supporting materials 

begin to become available for public 

review. Note that DOE will not provide 

responses to individual public 

comments, but will consider all 

information received, and will 

incorporate all appropriate information 

into updated versions of its proposals. 

All DOE proposals and supporting 

documentation will be made available 

for review at http://

www.energycodes.gov/development. 

Participation in Public Meetings. DOE 

intends to convene one or more public 

meetings during each code cycle to 

present its proposals and supporting 

information, and to receive questions 

and feedback from interested and 

affected stakeholders. Such meetings 

will also be used to encourage and 

facilitate the free exchange of ideas, 

with the intent of improving proposals 

from all parties. DOE will both moderate 

and participate in these meetings. Note 

that DOE will not attempt to bring 

stakeholders to a consensus; rather 

DOE’s role will be to increase 

understanding of the concepts 

discussed. These meetings will also be 

announced in the Federal Register. 

B. Ex-Parte Guidance 

DOE anticipates that it or its 

contractors may be contacted regarding 

code concepts, ideas or change 

proposals prior to and during the code 

hearings. While DOE code change 

proposals submitted to the ICC are not 

regulations, DOE will follow its ex parte 

communication policy for such 

communications prior to the code 

hearings. DOE guidance on ex parte 

communications was published on 

January 21, 2009 (74 FR 4685).4 As 

described in the guidance, individuals 

or entities that communicate with DOE 

or its contractors prior to the code 

hearing must provide a memorandum 

summarizing the communication, which 

will be included in the public docket 

consistent with the ex parte guidance. 

During each ICC hearing process, DOE 

will maintain a published Web site 

containing submitted DOE proposals, 

which will also contain a link directed 

to the Web site and materials 

maintained by the ICC. DOE recognizes 

that the code development and public 

hearing process is based on processes 

established by the ICC, which do not 

constitute ex parte communications, 

and therefore, any discussions of the 

process at code hearings do not need to 

follow the guidance. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on April 7, 

2015. 

David Cohan, 

Manager, Building Energy Codes Program, 

Building Technologies Office, Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2015–08599 Filed 4–13–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy 

[Docket Number EERE–2015–BT–BC–0001] 

Request for Information: Updating and 

Improving the DOE Methodology for 

Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of 

Building Energy Codes 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Request for information. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Energy (DOE) is seeking input on how 

it may update and improve its 

methodology for assessing the costeffectiveness (which includes an energy 

savings assessment) of residential and 

commercial building energy codes. DOE 

is directed by statute to provide 

technical assistance to states to support 

the implementation of model building 

energy codes. As part of this role, DOE 

conducts national and state-level 

analysis to assess the cost-effectiveness 

of building energy codes and proposed 

changes. DOE is interested in feedback 

on its analysis methodology, preferred 

sources of cost data, and parameter 

assumptions surrounding its costeffectiveness assessment. In addition, 

DOE is seeking information on the 

general costs, benefits, and economic 

impacts associated with building energy 

codes. This notice identifies several 

areas where interested parties may 

provide suggestions, comments, and 

other information. 

DATES: Written comments and 

information are requested by May 14, 

2015. 

ADDRESSES: Comments must identify the 

docket number EERE–2015–BT–BC– 

0001 and may be submitted using any 

of the following methods: 

1. Regulations.gov: http://www.

regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE2015-BT-BC-0001. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

2. Email: BCMethodology2015

BC0001@ee.doe.gov. Include EERE– 

2015–BT–BC–0001 in the subject line of 

the message. 

3. Postal Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards; 

U.S. Department of Energy, Building 

Technologies Office EE–5B, 1000 

Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20585; Phone: (202) 

586–2945. Please submit one signed 

paper original. 

Further instructions, including the 

use of topic identifiers, are provided in 

the Public Participation section of this 

notice. Comments submitted in 

response to this notice will become a 

matter of public records and will be 

made publicly available. 

Public Docket: The docket, which 

includes notices published in the 

Federal Register and public comments 

received, is available for review at 

Regulations.gov. All documents in the 

docket are listed in the Regulations.gov 

index. However, some documents listed 

in the index, such as those containing 

information exempt from public 

disclosure, may not be publicly 

available. 

A link to the docket Web page can be 

found under Public Participation at: 

http://www.energycodes.gov/events. 

This Web page will also contain a link 

to the docket for this notice on 

Regulations.gov. The Regulations.gov 

site will contain instructions on how to 

access all documents, including public 

comments, in the docket. 

For further information on how to 

submit a comment, review comments 

received, or otherwise participate in the 

public comment process, contact Ms. 

Brenda Edwards by phone at (202) 586– 

2945 or email: Brenda.Edwards@

ee.doe.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jeremiah Williams; U.S. Department 

of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency 

and Renewable Energy, Building 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES